Girls’ Trip: Delightful Café and Sweets Adventure from Maizuru to Tango Peninsula!

The red brick warehouses of Maizuru Red Brick Park in Kitasui District, Maizuru City, when used as storehouses for the pre-war Maizuru Naval District, and were built one after another between 1900 and 1921. In order to make use of these red brick buildings, the city of Maizuru opened them as tourist attractions in 2012 as "Maizuru Red Brick Park." The seven red brick warehouses here have been rennovated, and are designated as Important Cultural Properties. Buildings 2 and 3 contain a café and exhibition space, and buildings 4 and 5 are used for live events, art festivals, and more.

This stylish seaside café features a sophisticated black exterior and a bright, inviting interior decorated in white. Guests can unwind while enjoying the scenic views of Maizuru Bay and the gentle mountain ranges. The café offers a diverse menu, including seasonal plate lunches, filling pancakes, and healthy smoothies.

After the end of the Second World War, the Port of Maizuru was designated by the government as one of several ports through which repatriates could enter their homeland. Over 13 years it has received repatriates from old Manchuria, Korea, and Siberia, the majority of whom (around 600,000) were kept in forced-labour camps in Siberia. The Maizuru Repatriation Memorial Museum tells the story of this period, shows the warm welcome of the Maizuru people towards the returning soldiers, and proclaims the value of peace to the world. Clothes from the labour camps are exhibited, as well as letters and diaries written by soldiers to their families. In 2015, 570 items, including the famous Shirakaba Diary (a diary written on the bark of Siberian silver birch), were inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.

Mt. Goro-dake is situated between Higashi Maizuru and Nishi Maizuru. A panorama of the deeply indented shoreline and scattered islands—part of the beauty of Maizuru Bay, which has been chosen as the most scenic spot in the Kinki area—can be enjoyed from the observation tower at a height of 301.2 meters. There is an adjoining café where coffee, tea and a light meal can be enjoyed.

GORO SKY CAFE nanako offers breathtaking views and creatively prepared dishes, making it a perfect spot for an Instagram-worthy experience. Located within Goro-ga-take Park, this café features floor-to-ceiling windows that provide a stunning panorama of Maizuru Bay. Guests can relax and enjoy lunch or tea time with local favorites, such as "Maizuru Navy Curry," along with unique GORO original dishes and a wide variety of café delights.

Tore Tore Center is an indoor seafood market with a huge array of products, including Tango's own exceptional quality maizuru crab. It also has freshly prepared sushi, sashimi, baked and fried fish, and teriyaki dishes that can be purchased and eaten on the spot. In addition, there are large fish tanks, souvenir shops, and multiple restaurants (including different noodle options if you aren't feeling up for seafood). This center is located quite close to Maizuru Port, where cruise ships are able to dock.

The Yoshiwara area of Maizuru City is about 1.7 kilometers from the nearest railway station, JR Nishimaizuru Station. During the Edo period, the fishing town was moved from Nishimaizuru to its current location. Boasting a history of 300 years, the town’s narrow roads are positioned like tessellated pavement, and there are canals for the coming and going boats. Despite the long period of time since they were built, the old houses still stand, allowing us to see a sight uncommon in normal fishing towns. The houses are long and narrow, built side by side with hardly any space in between, while the back door connects to the canal, allowing boats to sail directly from the houses. There are about 100 of these houses, which are not unlike the boathouses in Ine, and they can be seen all over the town. Often dubbed Asia’s Venice, walking through Yoshiwara is like traveling in time back to the 1930s, where you can enjoy the quaint fishing town’s laid-back atmosphere.

Amanohashidate Viewland is located on top of Mt. Monju, and can be reached via cable car or chair lift. The cable car chair lift is only a short walk from Amanohashidate Station, making it an easy way to catch panoramic views of Amanohashidate, one of Japan's Three Scenic Views. Amanohashidate Viewland is on the south side of the Amanohashidate land bridge. When you get to the top, you will see people bending over to view the land bridge through their legs. This is called "matanozoki" and people do it because when upside down, the bays look like the sky and Amanohashidate becomes a green dragon flying across it. There are also a variety of family friendly attractions, such as a ferris wheel, sky-rail with pedal-cars, a sky walk, and many other rides and activities.

Café du Pin Chitose is a peaceful retreat located between serene inland waters and canals, where you can unwind while watching passing tour boats. The nearby highlight of the area, the unique swing bridge, rotates 90 degrees each time a boat passes. This charming bridge connects the land to Amanohashidate and is a popular spot for tourists to capture memorable photos.

Kasamatsu Park is one of the two overlooks perfect for viewing Amanohashidate, one of Japan's Three Scenic Views. The park is located halfway between Motoise Kono Shrine and Nariai-ji Temple, and is accessible via chairlift or cable car. At Kasamatsu Park, there is a gift shop, Ama Terrace Restaurant with excellent views of the Amanohashidate land bridge, as well as photo spots and places to view the land bridge upside down (by looking between your legs). This inverted view is famous and meant to look like a green dragon flying through the sky. From the park, visitors can also catch the mountain bus that runs between Kasamatsu Park and Nariai-ji Temple (one of the 33 temples on Japan's western pilgrimage route).

Take a cable car or lift to Kasamatsu Park at Amanohashidate, and enjoy breathtaking views from the restaurant on the second-floor, Ama Terrace. The stunning panorama of Amanohashidate from this vantage point is truly unforgettable.

Ine is a quaint seaside village in the "Kyoto by the Sea" area, situated in northern Kyoto Prefecture. This charming village hugs the coastline of the Sea of Japan and is famous for its unique wooden boathouses, known as "funaya." These boathouses are a hallmark of Ine, celebrated for their distinct architecture and historical importance. This design blends practicality with beauty, showcasing the seamless integration of human life with nature. The boathouses of Ine are a designated Group of Historic Buildings, a category under Japan's Historic Preservation Act, further highlighting their cultural importance. The funaya of Ine date back to the Edo period (1603 to 1868). Each boathouse has two levels: the lower floor is used to store fishing boats and gear, with the floor almost flush with the waterline, giving the impression that the houses are floating. This tranquil setting has made Ine a popular backdrop for television shows and films, capturing the essence of traditional Japanese coastal life. Many of the boathouses have been transformed into cozy cafes, restaurants, and inns. For a deeper experience, visitors can even spend the night in one of these charming converted inns. To get a different view, you can take a guided tour, such as the Ine Bay Cruise or a ride on a water taxi, allowing you to see the boathouses from the water. While exploring, it's also worth taking a cycling tour to learn about Ine’s rich past, or heading up to the roadside station perched above the village for a stunning aerial view of the boathouses. Remember, many funaya are still private homes, so it's important to be respectful of the locals as you wander through the village.

Experience a scenic cruise around Ine Bay on a spacious sightseeing boat. This tour provides a unique view of the town, showcasing the traditional boathouses that aren’t visible from land. During the approximately 25-minute journey, you'll also have the opportunity to feed seagulls along the way.

Located within Funaya Biyori, a tourist hub inspired by the architecture of the sea and boathouses, this café provides a serene experience. With the calm waters of Ine Bay right in front of you, you can enjoy a tranquil atmosphere while admiring the beautiful, ever-changing surface of the water, illuminated by sunlight. It’s the perfect place to unwind and feel surrounded by the sea.